Paulie Harraka

Last updated

Paulie Harraka
Paulie Harraka Dover 2014.jpg
Harraka at Dover International Speedway in May 2014
BornPaul Peter Harraka
(1989-09-15) September 15, 1989 (age 34)
Wayne, New Jersey
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight165 lb (75 kg)
Achievements2008 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Champion
Awards2009 NASCAR Camping World West Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2013 position75th
Best finish75th (2013)
First race 2013 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
5 races run over 4 years
2014 position64th
Best finish64th (2014)
First race 2010 NAPA Auto Parts 200 (Montreal)
Last race 2014 Buckle Up 200 (Dover)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
11 races run over 1 year
2012 position28th
Best finish28th (2012)
First race 2012 NextEra Energy Resources 250 (Daytona)
Last race 2012 Pocono Mountains 125 (Pocono)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
Statistics current as of May 31, 2014.

Paul Peter "Paulie" Harraka (born September 15, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver and entrepreneur. He is a graduate of Duke University and a former representative of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program.

Contents

Personal life

Harraka was born in Wayne, New Jersey to a family of Syrian descent. [1] [2] Harraka attended Wayne Valley High School from his freshman through junior years, but spent his senior year at Lake Norman High School to be closer to NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing, where he worked as an engineering and research and development intern. [3] During this time, Harraka lived with Kenny Francis, crew chief for Kasey Kahne. [4]

After graduating from high school with a 4.38 GPA, Harraka opted to attend Duke University, stating “I think that in the modern age of racing, knowing all aspects of the business is crucial to being successful." [5] After beginning his studies in Mechanical Engineering, Harraka transferred to Duke's Trinity School of Arts and Sciences, where he studied Markets and Management, Sociology, and History. [6] Harraka is one of only two NASCAR drivers with University degrees, the other being Ryan Newman. [7]

Racing career

Early career

Harraka first sat behind the wheel when he received a backyard fun kart from his family and started driving it around abandoned buildings. Harraka entered his first race on June 1, 1997, at Flemington Speedway, and despite being underage (Harraka was 7 and New Jersey law required that drivers be at least 8 years old), Harraka won. [8] In a karting career that spanned from 1997 to 2005, Harraka amassed a World Karting Association Triple Crown, the Holley Future Star Award, 13 National Championships, and 6 World Championships, and 158 total wins in go-karts. In 2005 he moved from kart to legends car racing, where he won multiple races. [9]

Harraka also won a popular karting event at Mark Dismore's karting facility in Indiana, the RoboPong 200 (now known as the Dan Wheldon Cup after the 2005 winner was killed in October 2011) karting event, teamed with on-sabbatical NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd.

NASCAR

Harraka qualifying at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2010 Paulie Harraka NAPA 200.jpg
Harraka qualifying at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2010

Harraka was invited to the Drive for Diversity Combine in the fall of 2006, where he impressed team owner Bill McAnally. McAnally hired Harraka to compete for his California-based team, despite Harraka still being in high school in New Jersey. Harraka traveled back and forth between New Jersey and California every weekend, and ultimately finished second in the All American Series in Roseville, California that year, winning the Rookie of the Year title. Harraka returned to the team in 2008, this time holding the duties of both driver and crew chief. The team would win 11 out of 23 races as well as the NASCAR Championship. [10]

At the end of 2008, McAnally elected to move Harraka up to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series for the final two races of the season as preparation for a full run in 2009. In the last race of the season, second race for the team, he qualified on the pole and led 40 laps. [11]

Over the next two seasons, Harraka competed full-time for McAnally, first under the NAPA Autocare banner, then with NAPA Filters sponsorship, with crew chief Duane Knorr. The team has won 3 races and has 15 top 5 finishes in 30 total races. [12] They finished 4th and 3rd in the series championship in 2009 and 2010, respectively, with Harraka winning Rookie of the Year in 2009 and Move of the Race in 2010.

Harraka took 2011 off from racing to further his studies, but did run the K&N Pro Series West race at Infineon Raceway. For 2012, Harraka competed in the Camping World Truck Series, running for Rookie of the Year driving for Wauters Motorsports. [13] Midway through the season, Harraka left Wauters Motorsports. [14]

In September 2012, Harraka drove for Go Green Racing in the Nationwide Series at Richmond International Raceway. [15] Harraka's final NASCAR start came at Dover Motor Speedway driving for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. [16] Harraka then retired from NASCAR to focus on business interests.

Entrepreneurship

Paulie Harraka LLC

In 2011 Harraka partnered with a group of Fortune 500 CEOs, venture capitalists, and professional sports executives as a partner to launch innovative technology platforms that challenge conventional approaches to the sport and business of NASCAR. The investor group supported Harraka's NASCAR racing activities and entrepreneurial business ventures disruptive to NASCAR. [17] In November 2013, Harraka delivered a talk chronicling his entrepreneurial ventures at TEDxBeaconStreet in Boston, making Harraka the only NASCAR driver ever to deliver a TED presentation. [18]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536NSCCPtsRef
2013 Go Green Racing 52 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX KAN RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON
39		 KEN DAY NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH CHI NHA DOV KAN CLT TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 75th01 [19]

Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435NNSCPtsRef
2010 NEMCO Motorsports 87 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV
29		 ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 124th76 [20]
2011 Randy Hill Racing 08 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX TAL NSH RCH DAR DOV IOW CLT CHI MCH ROA DAY KEN NHA NSH IRP IOW GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH
25		 CHI DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO
21		 HOM 130th01 [21]
2013 Go Green Racing 79 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL
35		 TEX RCH TAL DAR CHA DOV IOW MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CHA TEX PHO HOM 85th9 [22]
2014 TriStar Motorsports 44 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV
19		 MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 64th25 [23]

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122NCWTCPtsRef
2012 Wauters Motorsports 5 Ford DAY
19		 MAR
22		 CAR
26		 KAN
27		 CLT
30		 DOV
17		 TEX
28		 KEN
17		 IOW
33		 CHI
19		 POC
24		 MCH BRI ATL IOW KEN LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 28th223 [24]

1 Ineligible for series points

K&N Pro Series West

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415NKNPSWCPtsRef
2008 Paul Harraka04 Chevy AAS PHO CTS IOW CNS SON IRW DCS EVG MMP
26		 IRW 29th382 [25]
Bill McAnally Racing 12 Toyota AMP
8		 AAS
6
2009 CTS
17		 AAS
3		 PHO
8		 MAD
4		 IOW
2		 DCS
13		 SON
14		 IRW
3		 PIR
16		 MMP
2		 CNS
1		 IOW
12		 AAS
1*		4th1951 [26]
2010 AAS
1*		 PHO
29		 IOW
18		 DCS
5		 SON
2		 IRW
13		 PIR
3		 MRP
11		 CNS
2		 MMP
3		 AAS
4		 PHO
25		3rd1707 [27]
2011 PHO AAS MMP IOW LVS SON
12		 IRW EVG PIR CNS MRP SPO AAS PHO 77th132 [28]
2013 Bill McAnally Racing 20 Toyota PHO S99 BIR IOW L44 SON
5		 CNS IOW EVG SPO MMP SMP AAS KCR PHO 50th39 [29]

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920ARSCPtsRef
2012 Venturini Motorsports 55 Toyota DAY
26		 MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH WIN NJE IOW CHI IRP POC BLN ISF MAD SLM DSF KAN 128th100 [30]

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References

  1. ↑ Caldwell, Dave (August 9, 2008). "From Go-Karts to Nascar, and Now Heading to College". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  2. ↑ "The Mag: A new model for NASCAR". ESPN.com. March 20, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  3. ↑ Sullivan, William (October 27, 2008). "Harraka balances college with racing in NASCAR's minor league". NJ.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  4. ↑ Senior Writer. "Paul Harraka: NASCAR Drive for Diversity Ace and Master Juggler". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  5. ↑ Merritt, Richard. "NASCAR Winner | Duke Engineering News". Den.pratt.duke.edu. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ Bridget Booher (May 9, 2012). "Paul Harraka: Pursuing the Pole Position | Duke Today". Today.duke.edu. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  7. ↑ Senior Writer (October 25, 2008). "Paul Harraka NASCAR's Next Martin Truex, Jr.?". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  8. ↑ Caldwell, Dave (August 9, 2008). "From Go-Karts to Nascar, and Now Heading to College". The New York Times.
  9. ↑ "Motorsports Seminars by Victory Marketing Team - Guest Speakers - Paulie Harraka". Victorymarketingteam.com. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ Thursday Sep 11 2008 (September 11, 2008). "Harraka wins track championship in final week | The Press Tribune Newspaper". Thepresstribune.com. Retrieved June 4, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Cunningham, Jason (October 25, 2008). "Qualifying: Harraka Earns 1st Pole | NASCAR Home Tracks". Hometracks.nascar.com. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Paulie Harraka Career Statistics". Racing-Reference.info. September 15, 1989. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Wauters Joins Team Ownership Ranks". SPEEDtv.com. Fox Sports. January 26, 2012. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Paulie Harraka and Wauters Motorsports Part Ways Effective Immediately". YardBarker. Fox Sports. August 30, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  15. ↑ Adamczyk, Jay (September 3, 2012). "Harraka to drive for Go Green at Richmond". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  16. ↑ Staff, Speedway Digest. "Paulie Harraka joins the TriStar Motorsports driver lineup at Dover". www.speedwaydigest.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  17. ↑ "The NASCAR dreams of Paulie Harraka - Magazine". The Boston Globe. June 23, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  18. ↑ Welch, Maura (November 13, 2013). "An Independently Organized TED Event | NASCAR Confidential". TEDxBeaconStreet. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2012 NASCAR Camping World Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2008 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2009 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Paulie Harraka – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
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